What is a microbiome and what is good about it?
Recently, cosmetics based on the microbiome have become popular both domestically and overseas.
So what is a microbiome?
The dictionary defines the microbiome as a compound word of ‘microbiota’ and ‘genome’, referring to the microbial community and their genomes coexisting in the human body.
The microbiome began to receive attention around 2000 due to its close correlation with human health. In particular, the human microbiome comprises more than twice the number of our cells and has more than 100 times more genes, earning it the nickname ‘second genome’.
But why did such complex scientific concepts emerge in the cosmetics industry?
These microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, inhabit various parts of the body, such as the skin, mouth, intestines, and reproductive organs, and play a crucial role in the aging process of our bodies and skin. They not only act as a protective layer for the skin against external threats like ultraviolet rays and pollution but also form a true ecosystem with the skin.
However, only a few people are aware of the role the microbiome plays in our skin.
Does the microbiome always remain the same from birth throughout our lives?
No, it doesn’t.
It typically changes depending on factors such as diet, age, and environment. According to an article posted on the L’Oréal site, Each person has a unique microbial signature, but it changes throughout our lives due to various factors such as diet, location, environment, air quality, and contact with objects.
Even activities like swimming in the ocean can temporarily alter the balance of these microorganisms. That’s why many cosmetics research teams are searching for anti-aging proteins by discovering and tracking changes in microorganisms as the human body ages.
In addition to aging, research is being conducted in various specific areas such as whitening and wrinkle reduction.
In Korea, in March 2021, ‘Genome & Company’, Korea’s leading microbiome developer, together with the research team of ‘Cosmax’, a cosmetics research and development company, contributed to a world-class academic journal by discovering that microbiome strains affect the aging process by regulating skin metabolism. And Plus, Cosmax gained attention in 2019 by developing the world’s first microbiome cosmetics.
So, on what principle is the microbiome incorporated into cosmetics?
Aging occurs when there is a deficiency of natural bacteria (bacteria that should normally exist) that disappear as a person ages. Microbiome cosmetics are formulated to replenish this deficiency, but instead of adding live bacteria to cosmetics, metabolites secreted by bacteria are added to allow the microorganisms on the skin to thrive better.
However, microbiome-based cosmetics have a significant vulnerability. While all substances being studied as new drugs are live microorganisms, cosmetics cannot use live bacteria as raw materials, so only dead microorganisms can be used.
Live bacteria need to be delivered to the skin to continuously produce beneficial substances, but if dead bacteria are used, it is challenging to create effective formulations.*
But several studies have shown that dead bacteria can still affect the immune system, meaning that even if the bacteria die upon application, they may not be completely ineffective.
To address this, second-generation prebiotics, third-generation synbiotics, and recently even fourth-generation postbiotics are being developed after probiotics, which are first-generation lactic acid bacteria.
Kombucha, a popular cosmetic ingredient these days, operates on this principle. Kombucha is made by fermenting green tea and black tea, and the fermentation liquid contains lactic acid bacteria components of the microbiome. In addition to these fermented extracts, representative microbiome-related ingredients include yeast extract, beta-glucan, and inulin.
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* Reference to the Book “All that Cosmetic” by Dongchan Kim